I keep finding out that any time I try to save money, I wind up spending more. Latest case in point -- getting my laptop's power adaptor back. I'd heard nothing from anybody about it since last Friday, so I called the hotel to see if it had been sent and if they had a tracking number. The plan was for them to send it COD and I pay for postage when I get it. The hotel told me the Post Office returned it to them because there was no one to sign for it. That doesn't even begin to make sense.
I don't know exactly how COD works, but if they sent the package on Monday, would it have gotten to my place and back to Indianapolis by Thursday? I seriously doubt it. Also, why wouldn't the carrier leave a notice for me to come pick it up from my postal station, and give me time to do that? I'm supposed to pay for a COD with cash, when I don't know how much it is and whether or not the carrier will have change?
But I accepted their explanation and asked them to send it to me via FedEx. This time, I got a tracking number...and found that it's costing me almost as much as buying a new one. I'd have done better to leave the airport, rent a car and drive to the hotel to pick it up. I had plenty of time, but I thought that would be too expensive. So I've been without my laptop all week because I wouldn't spring the $40 for a car.
But that's how it usually works. I used to buy pre-owned cars and just pay to fix them when they broke down, as pre-owned cars will. Until I had enough of it, bought my Honda Civic brand new...and I'm still driving it nearly 16 years later, and for one hell of a lot less overall than doing the used car thing.
Same for shoes -- I got a pair at Target that looked right and felt comfortable enough...until I wore them to work all day and into the evening and got home to find bruises on the tops of my feet from where the crease in the faux-leather pressed into my skin. All they cost me was some of my points from Best Western, but I could have used those for something else.
So now I need to figure out how to pay for a pair of new shoes in the brand I like...which ain't gonna be easy. I used to buy them at Macy's, but the damned store doesn't offer "wides" anymore, and the ones they do offer are just a hair too narrow.
Plus I need new pants and shirts...I haven't bought clothes in a couple years and it's starting to tell on my appearance. I don't look homeless, yet...but I'm getting there. Thing is, I'm still too deep in debt from publishing my books to be able to afford anything, right now.
I don't know exactly how COD works, but if they sent the package on Monday, would it have gotten to my place and back to Indianapolis by Thursday? I seriously doubt it. Also, why wouldn't the carrier leave a notice for me to come pick it up from my postal station, and give me time to do that? I'm supposed to pay for a COD with cash, when I don't know how much it is and whether or not the carrier will have change?
But I accepted their explanation and asked them to send it to me via FedEx. This time, I got a tracking number...and found that it's costing me almost as much as buying a new one. I'd have done better to leave the airport, rent a car and drive to the hotel to pick it up. I had plenty of time, but I thought that would be too expensive. So I've been without my laptop all week because I wouldn't spring the $40 for a car.
But that's how it usually works. I used to buy pre-owned cars and just pay to fix them when they broke down, as pre-owned cars will. Until I had enough of it, bought my Honda Civic brand new...and I'm still driving it nearly 16 years later, and for one hell of a lot less overall than doing the used car thing.
Same for shoes -- I got a pair at Target that looked right and felt comfortable enough...until I wore them to work all day and into the evening and got home to find bruises on the tops of my feet from where the crease in the faux-leather pressed into my skin. All they cost me was some of my points from Best Western, but I could have used those for something else.
So now I need to figure out how to pay for a pair of new shoes in the brand I like...which ain't gonna be easy. I used to buy them at Macy's, but the damned store doesn't offer "wides" anymore, and the ones they do offer are just a hair too narrow.
Plus I need new pants and shirts...I haven't bought clothes in a couple years and it's starting to tell on my appearance. I don't look homeless, yet...but I'm getting there. Thing is, I'm still too deep in debt from publishing my books to be able to afford anything, right now.
Friday's proving to be the 13th under a full moon, all right.
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